5 Things to Do in Sapa, Vietnam

5 Things to Do in Sapa, Vietnam

Sapa is a laid back, mountainous town in Northwestern Vietnam, blessed with a cool climate throughout the year. The Hoàng Liên mountain range dominates the area, setting a dramatic backdrop for many scenic treks.

Just venture out a little to nearby indigenous villages and you’ll be rewarded with views of stepped paddy fields – emerald ripples that flow across entire stretches of valleys. Here’re 5 things you got to do when in Sapa:

1. Climb Fansipan, ‘Roof of IndoChina’

Besides being the highest peak in Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia), Fansipan is also the last major peak of the Himalayan range. So even if the 3,140m summit is less than half of Mount Everest’s, you can take pride in having conquered a mountain at the tail end of Himalayas.

That said, it’s not an easy hike. The fittest may do it in a strenuous day hike, although most do it over 2D1N, or 3D2N if you want to take it slow. The climb promises majestic views of the Hoang Lien mountain range.

2. Ride a bike through Muong Hoa Valley

Paddy fields of Muong Hoa Valley

Muong Hoa Valley is a stunning stretch of land that lies at the bottom of Fansipan’s northern flank. It is the largest strip of rice fields in the Sapa region, dotted with villages of different minority groups.

There are many trekking tours that bring visitors from Sapa into the valley on foot. It’s about 3-5 hours hike downhill, from initial panoramic views of the rice terraces to close-ups of the Muong Hoa river, flowing right next to the paddy fields.

Gotta watch out for furry pedestrians in your path

Worn out from our Fansipan hike yet wanting to explore the place on our own, renting a motorbike was our best option. It’s cheap (USD4/day), efficient and an experience in itself – riding between two high mountain ranges, cool air against our cheeks with the occasional roaming farm pigs to avoid.

3. Spend a night at a local village homestay

Our home stay by the Muong Hoa river

There are many villages around Sapa town that offer visitors a glimpse of how each ethnic minority group go about their everyday life.

The nearest is Cat Cat Village – a short 30min walk from Sapa. Due to its close proximity, it is also the most touristy. But for me, its multiple descriptive boards gave a good introduction to the culture and lifestyle that take place in a typical H’mong village.

Substituting prams for a wheelbarrow

With our motorbike, we could venture further southeast to explore the villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van. We ended up having dinner and spending a night at a cozy homestay by the river, which we chanced upon in Ta Van Village.

Homecooked dinner

Our beds for the night

4. Stop by the waterfalls

If you’re a fan of waterfalls, here are a few around Sapa town to check out:

Cat Cat Waterfall

Thac Bac Waterfall (Silver Falls)

Silver-Waterfall

Thac Tinh Yeu (Love Waterfall)

My favourite of the three, the Love Waterfall is 14km from Sapa town, accessible via an enjoyable 1km hike through a forest trail from its entrance.

5. Chill out at Sapa town

For a small town tucked away in northern Vietnam’s mountains, Sapa is surprisingly modern. It offers a wide variety of gastronomic options – from local street food and vietnamese eateries to high quality Italian restaurants and wine bars. Not to mention local cafes that serve super robust vietnamese drip coffee.

Street food

It is also a haven for adventurous souls on a budget. We happened to be a perfect match of their street shops’ target segment. And went a little crazy.

Gortex jackets, track pants, hiking boots, waterproof backpacks – there’s a replica for every type of hiking equipment. Don’t be fooled though – it may be a good deal, but it’s not the real deal.

One of the many shops selling trekking equipment in Sapa

All set for a trip to Sapa? Here’s where I stayed (highly recommended!):

Timothy

Hi Timothy! I spent about a week in Hanoi/Sapai so there was plenty of time for me to chill out and decide what to do next on the fly. Here’s a summary of my Sapa itinerary:

– Day 1: Arrive Hanoi in the afternoon, cabbed straight to the train station to buy my train tix to Sapa on the same night. (read more about the trip at https://ladyexplorer.com/2015/05/31/how-to-get-to-sapa/ )
– Day 2: Chill out in Sapa town, drank drip coffee by the lake and walked to the local bazaar
– Day 3: Set off for Fansipan, camped overnight
– Day 4: Return from Fansipan and had a good massage
– Day 5: Rented a bike to explore the surrounding villages and rice terraces out of Sapa, stayed at home stay in Tavan
– Day 6: Back to Sapa, read a book over coffee at Hill Station cafe, shopped around
– Day 7: Took overnight train back to Hanoi, paid about US20 to nap in a hotel for 4 hours before exploring the old quarters… and then took a flight home 🙂

But if you want, the trip can be easily compressed by 2-3 days. Our aim was to have a relaxing trip, so we spent lotsa time just chilling out, drinking coffee and reading our book.

Have fun! 🙂

May 26, 2016 at 4:02 pm

Linda

Hi Pei Xun,
I am intending to go Sapa next few weeks. Got a few quick queries. Why didn’t you book the private trains, e.g victoria train at http://www.hanoisapatrain.com? Where do you stay at Sapa? Did you book hotel when you reach there?

Hey Linda, I din book the private trains because after a quick research online, I found out that the public trains are much cheaper but the interior is really just as good. My trip proved this right (read about my train ride at https://ladyexplorer.com/2015/05/31/how-to-get-to-sapa/

I stayed at Sapa Unique Hotel and Elysian Sapa Hotel while I was there. I only pre-booked my first night before reaching so I could decide on the go while I’m there (since I wanted to stay a night at Fansipan / another out at a home stay in the villages)

Stephen

Hi, thanks for your effort to detail your trip! I am keen to do a 2D1N Fansipan hike. I am currently comparing quotes online, but they seem quite expensive. Would you advise me to check out the rates while I’m at Sapa (reaching Lao Cai on 21 Dec 0530hrs)? How much is a reasonable rate for an open group? Do yo uhave any agency or local guide there to recommend?

Hey there! Sorry for the delayed response as I was on the road. This may probably be too late, but I’m not sure if you saw my other post on Fansipan, where I mentioned Vietnam Nomad Trails offered a decent deal of US75/pax for 2D1N, when we walked into their shop in Sapa.

January 15, 2017 at 3:42 am

Kim

Hi. Very glad I found this blog. I’m trying to plan out a trip with my husband in late Oct/early Nov. We only have about 6 days total in N. Vietnam so hoping to hit both Sapa and Ha Long Bay. What did you have to do to set up the homestay? Sounds like a great experience!

Hello there! Sapa looks amazing and your experience sounds like an incredible one. I’d love to travel there. How many days would you recommend visiting for? and how much would I roughly spend each day? Thank you so much!